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Sports

King Felix aims to stay hot in finale with Angels

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

Felix Hernandez eyes his ninth win of the season on Thursday when the Seattle Mariners conclude a four-game series with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium.

Hernandez has looked like the pitcher who won an American League Cy Young Award of late and comes into Thursday's finale sporting a 3-0 record with a 1.84 ERA in his last four starts.

"I'm feeling pretty good right now," said Hernandez.

Hernandez extended his scoreless innings streak to 12 on Saturday against the Oakland Athletics, as he scattered five hits and struck out eight over seven scoreless innings to run his record to 8-4 to go along with a 2.32 ERA.

After going 0-3 versus the Angels a year ago, Hernandez beat them back on April 27, limiting them to an earned run in eight innings. However, he is 7-12 lifetime against them with a 3.96 ERA in 31 starts.

The Angels, meanwhile, will rely on righty Tommy Hanson, who is 4-2 with a 3.94 ERA. Hanson won his second straight start on Saturday, as he beat the New York Yankees, holding them to a pair of runs in 6 1/3 innings.

"I feel like I can go out and compete with any team that's going to be out there," Hanson said. "I know if I go out there and make my pitches, I'll have success."

Hanson beat Seattle the only other time he faced them.

Los Angeles has won two of the first three games in this series and on Wednesday Mike Trout scored the game's lone run and C.J. Wilson tossed seven scoreless innings in the Angels' 1-0 triumph.

Wilson (6-5) continued his mastery of the Mariners by giving up just two hits and striking out three. The left-hander improved to 8-1 against Seattle since the start of the 2011 season.

"I threw a bunch of sinkers tonight and that kept the ball in the infield," Wilson said.

Seattle starter Joe Saunders (5-7) allowed one run on six hits over eight innings to take the hard-luck loss. The left-hander, who spent the first five- plus years of his career with the Angels, fell to 1-5 on the road this season.

"Joe was good against a tough lineup," Seattle manager Eric Wedge said. "He got some big double plays when he needed to."

Los Angeles has won five of its nine matchups with the Mariners this season.